This Sunless Town
by KnightTime32
Summary: What would you do if your whole world was taken away from you? What would you do if what you hold most dearly left you? One-shot in Charlie's POV when Renee left him. Slightly based on the song: "Over You" by Daughtry


**Hi Everyone! This is a story for edwards-gurl123's "Song story Challenge"  
Anyways hope you enjoy it  
(Again slightly based on the song "Over You" by Daughtry)**

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"Renee, please don't leave me!" I cried out, trying to reach for my beautiful daughter, Isabella. There were tears in my Isabella's eyes that made my heart break even more than it already was. "What about, Isabella? You can't just take her away from me!" Isabella reached towards me, but Renee was quick to push her away from me.

"Then let's leave as a family, and get away from this sunless town. We could move where they see the sun more than fifteen days out of the year," She said, snatching her and Isabella's bags by the staircase. She wouldn't stop for a moment, quick to leave. My world was falling apart in front of me…and I didn't know what to do.

"You know I can't leave, I have to take care of Geoffrey and Helen, but afterwards we'll move, I promise. Any place you want, we'll go!" I still tried to reach Isabella. She turned towards me once more, her face covered with confusion. Isabella was smart, but she was too young to understand what was happening.

"Daddy," she said, her voice cracking as she reached for me.

"No, Bella," Renee retorted, placing her on her other hip. "Charlie, I can't wait. I will not stay in this dreary, depressing town for another day. There is so much out there, but we won't get any of it if we stay here!"

"Please, let's just talk about this, Renee." I said, standing in front of the door. It was a feeble and desperate attempt to prevent her departure, but I did it anyway. I couldn't let my beautiful wife and wonderful daughter just leave.

"No, Charlie, understand this, we either leave together within this week, or Bella and I will leave tonight," She said, trying to get passed me. I wouldn't budge one inch, though. Renee glared up at me, but I could tell she was saddened by what I was doing. Her eyes always said so much about her.

"You can't, Renee, please don't. Where are you going to stay? It's the middle of the night, and there are probably hardly any places open. Can't you just wait until tomorrow?" I questioned, refusing to let her go. I could feel as the seconds passed, the sooner she would leave.

"We'll live with my great aunt in Riversdale, California, until we can get a place of our own. I'll pull over if I get tired."

"Please, don't, Renee. Just think of Isabella, please. Do you think she would want to grow up without me, her dad?" I couldn't imagine the thought of not having either of them here, and I felt the need to hold them in my arms grow. Bella was supposed to have me around. I needed to be there as her father. The moment Renee walked out the front door I knew that my time to be a father would slip through my fingers…and I couldn't have that.

"I am thinking of Bella, and I don't think she'd want to grow up here. I think she'd hate it here as much as I do." I could see in that moment all the hatred and resentment she had for Forks in her eyes – and I could see for a moment where she was coming from in taking Isabella away from here. She didn't want Bella to live in this place she hated so much, she didn't want her to grow up a small town girl like she did – and apparently didn't want her to make the same mistakes she made.

"Please, Renee, please?" I pleaded, wanting more than anything for her to just sleep on it, and change her mind. My legs were beginning to grow weak with the turmoil I was in. I just wanted them to stay. I wanted it more than anything I've ever wanted before – more than my parents getting better. I just wanted for time to stand still with them wrapped securely in my arms – and I would never let them go. This meant so much to me…they meant so much to me.

"Just let me go, Charlie," She said, her voice soft and her gazed turned away; storming around me and out the door – with Isabella, and her things – slamming it behind her – taking my life and my world with her. I stood there in the middle of the dark hallway shocked, the world suddenly growing completely silent, not completely comprehending what just happened.

After what seemed many hours, I finally left to get ready for bed – because no matter if I just lost all that meant most to me, I still had work in the morning – ardently hoping that when I woke up Renee and Isabella would return. If I had realized that they weren't coming back, I probably would have stayed up all night; but I felt so numb inside, and I wanted to just sleep that feeling away.

My hopes were shattered when I woke up the next morning – they were still gone. The realization hit me like when a car slams into the side of a brick building, leaving me completely dazed, – they would never come back. They would leave me alone in this house, they would leave me alone in this town, and they had drifted out of my life to let me grow old, alone.

I crumpled up the socks that were in my hands, throwing them across the room. They slammed against the wall as I slid against the wall and onto the floor. Tears began to slide across my cheeks, as I violently swept them away. They burned into my skin, and with each tear that fell, it seemed like a stab at my heart.

My beautiful dreamer, Renee left me. My sweet, innocent Isabella would never be near me again. I would never hold her in my arms again, or watch her sleep. I wouldn't be able to watch her grow-up, play catch with her, teach her how to ride a bike, how to fish. I wouldn't be able to teach her how to drive, watch her go to prom, or watch her go off to college. I wouldn't be able to be a part of her life – something I was looking forward to so much.

I glanced over at the clock, 7:26. Shoot! I should have left six minutes ago. I quickly got up, went to the kitchen, splashed cold water on my face, and grabbed a piece of bread before heading out to my cruiser. As I drove to the station I kept checking myself in the mirror to make sure my eyes weren't red or puffy from crying. They were bloodshot though, and nothing I did helped them.

"Hey, Charlie," Mark said, smiling and working on an essay that's due Friday, as I walked in, before he noticed my face "What happened?"

"I don't want to talk about it," I mumbled, depressed, as I signed in. I kept my head down, and tried to make as little eye contact with everyone as possible.

"Well I'm always here for you, man," He said, returning his attention back to his essay.

"Charlie, could you patrol the city until noon today?" Chief Jefferson asked, coming from his office.

"Yes, sir," I said numbly, heading out the door. Maybe patrol the town would clear my mind of thoughts of Renee and Isabella. All over the town there were little things that reminded me of the two. Such as the grocery store that Renee went to or the park the Isabella always wanted me to take her to. It made my heart throb just a bit more – if that was even possible.

Work went by uneventful, and afterwards I went to take care of my parents. My dad wasn't doing well at all, and it was just a matter of time before he passed away, and my mom would leave shortly after him. They were important to me and their bad health crushed my broken heart even more. They were the only ones left that I had to take care of.

The days seemed to go by uneventfully and quickly, all of them blending in together. I was getting over it slowly, with help from Billy Black and Mark. They were kind and always invited me over, trying to help take my mind off my lost family. Renee sent me the divorce papers, asking me to mail them back to her in Riversdale, and I did so reluctantly.

The years passed slowly and uneventfully, my parents passing away with them – shortly after Renee left. But by then, it was too late for me to follow after her – she had probably found someone else, anyways. It broke my heart to think of such a thing, but as long as she was happy…that was all that mattered.

The evenings were spent on the couch, watching ESPN. And weekends were spent fishing with Billy and sometimes Harry Clearwater, near La Push. I anxiously looked forward to summers, when my Isabella would spend a month with me – though like Renee she strongly detested Forks, which is why the past few years we've spent two weeks in California, and she began to not come to Forks.

Then one day, about sixteen years after she left me I received a phone call – one that both surprised and pleased me. It was the day that I think I was the happiest in all my life, and would probably have an anniversary for every year. This was the best phone call of my life.

"Hey dad," came a voice that I recognized instantly, for it was my almost fully matured daughter, Isabella. When I addressed her by her full name she quickly said that she wanted to be called Bella, which I had done before.

"Hey, Bella, what's up?" I asked elatedly – this was the first time she called me other than my birthday and Christmas. For once she was calling me of her own free will, and it pleased me greatly.

"Nothing much," She paused for a moment, hesitating. There was something she was going to tell me, and I knew it was important to her. "Dad, would it be ok if I moved in with you?"

It shocked me at first but I recovered quickly, "Of course, when we're you thinking?" I questioned, asking the most important question. The sooner she got here the better.

"After the holidays," She said, unsure, as if asking if it wouldn't be alright with me, "In January?"

"Okay," I said slowly, then quicker "Yes…that will be fine. I'll get you signed up for school, and everything. I'll do my best to get your room fixed up."

"Thank you so much, I'll talk to you later then, dad, bye."

"Bye," I said, hanging up. My sweet little Isabella was coming back to me, at last, and she would be here in a little more than two months.


End file.
